was about thirty miles from Musira, I could
delay no longer. It was then agreed that Sentum
should stay at Musira Island until Magassa arrived,
and inform him o f the direction which
Sentageya and I had taken.
W e had proceeded on our v o y a g e but three
miles when Sentagey a turned back with all
speed towards Musira, waving his hand to me
to continue my journey. Imagining that he had
merely forgotten something, I did as he directed.
W e reached Alice Island about 9 p. M., for
we had been delayed b y a strong head-wind
since 4 p. m . A s it was pitch-dark, we were
guided to a camping-place b y a flickering light
which we saw on the shore. The light for
which we steered was that o f a fire kindled b y
two men and a boy, who were drying fish in a
cavern the entrance o f which opened on the
lake. Though the fishermen were rather frightened
at first, th ey were discreet enough to remain
passive; and to calm their fears, I assumed
an air o f extreme blandness and amiability. It
being late, I prepared to rest in the stern-sheets
o f my boat, but as I' was about to lie down,
I heard the natives expostulating. I knew by
this that the boat s crew must be committing
depredations on their fish stores; so I sprang
out and only just in time to save them a serious
loss. Murabo had already made himself master
o f half a dozen large fish, when I came up with
[A p r ih 6-27, i 875.l I STOP FISH STEALING. 295
A lice Island. J
naked feet behind him, announcing my arrival
b y a staggering blow, which convinced the
fishermen better than any amount o f blandness
and affectation o f amiability could have done
that I was sincere, and convinced the Wangwana
also that injustice would not be permitted. The
fishermen received a handful o f beads as an
atonement for the attempted spoliation, and to
secure the Wangwana against further temptation,
I gave them double rations.
T h e next morning, when I awoke, I found that
we were camped under the shadow o f a basaltic
cliff, about 50 feet high, at the base o f which
was the fishermen’s cavern, extending about
15 feet within. T h e island was lo f ty , about
400 feet above the lake at its highest part, nearly
four miles in length, and a mile and a half across
at its greatest breadth. T h e inhabitants consisted
o f about forty families from Ukerewe, and owned
King Lukongeh as their liege lord.
T he summit o f Alice Island is clothed with
an abundance o f coarse grass, and the ravines
and hollows are choked with a luxuriance o f
vegetable life— trees, plants, ferns, ground orchids,
and wild pine-apple: along the water’s edge
there waves a thin strip o f water-cane. The
people became fast friends with us, but their
keen trading instincts impelled them to demand
such exorbitant prices for every article that we
were unable to purchase more than a few ears